Posts Tagged ‘Genealogy’

Looking into our past is how we humans gain insight into our present and our future. It is how we learn our lessons and prepare for the things that are yet to appear over the horizon. The same wisdom holds true not just to understanding why or how things happen, but also to understanding ourselves – who we are, how we came to be, the things that define us, limit us or by the same token, free us, can be grasped by tracing our lineage and ancestry through the intricate web woven by our family and the varied connections and interconnections our relations have made throughout the years.

Human nature dictates the necessity of relationships. No man, after all, is an island. It is this natural need that has allowed groups of people to build and strengthen bonds and ties – ones that are lasting and captured by genealogy.

In the past, it wasn’t easy to find your relatives. Records weren’t updated and documents were easily destroyed. Most genealogists found then that the best way to find information on your family tree was through microfilm. The most comprehensive bank of genealogical data, however, belonged to the Mormons. The members of the Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints believed in keeping detailed records of their family trees as part of their religion, and as such, many people back in the day sought their help in building their family trees.

Other sources for genealogy researchers include newspapers, funeral cards, and personal interviews. Newspapers, are understandably, easy to gain access to and are reliable sources of information. However, back then, search isn’t automated and there were no computers to assist you in going through thousands of volumes of newspaper editions that could possibly hold the information you need. Funeral cards, although more exact to the data you need, are only good sources if your relatives were able to keep them, and if they did, if you’re able to find them.

Personal interviews are good data mines. Interviewing living relatives often yield information that is of a personal level and holds more detail than newspaper articles or funeral cards contain, as it is more often than not a first-hand account whose reliability depends on the memory and honesty of the interviewee.

All these methods, though effective when combined, can be exhausting, time-consuming and expensive. They require significant investment in time, money and effort and can be a daunting task to a beginning genealogist, something that can easily discourage or beat neophytes off the track.

In today’s world, however, technology has made the search for our family’s lineage an easier task. Online genealogy systems are up and running, collecting records and files from primary documents to newspapers including obituaries and funeral cards, which are constantly kept updated, allowing researchers easier access to the data that they need in order to build their family trees.

Free genealogy search engines assist in helping people locate correct data by inputting names and known locations of relatives. These search engines also have forums where people who have signed up can post messages with their queries or comments, allowing other genealogists to help them where the automation cannot. Often, other genealogists who are working on the same name may come up and help, thus, easing the burden of the search by pooling common resources.

In this day and age, the way information is freely and easily exchanged has helped along the cause of genealogists. Through the constantly advancing technology of the internet as well as database collection and management, people have improved chances of finding their family and consequently in knowing more about themselves.

Indeed, the road to self-discovery may very well begin with that PC sitting on your desk, or that laptop you’re taking everywhere with you. You don’t need to start with a lot. Just a core of information and an internet connection, and you’re off on a journey to the past.

By Bill Turnbull

Bill Turnbull has been studying genealogy for 15 years and in that time has discovered the secrets to building family trees effortlessly online. For more great information on Genealogy visit Build Family Tree Online

Why is it Important to Understand About Your Family Roots and History?

You looked in the mirror and your luscious “pillow-lips”, as some authors have coined the word, resemble hers; your facial features, your figure and even how you walk closely mimic hers – what is the chance she could be your relative, too?

Ms. Hillary Clinton would not have known until Christopher Child of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, a leading ancestor search company, disclosed his group’s findings, after three years of research that Ms. Clinton and Angelina Jolie are related on the 9th degree and linked by an ancestor who died in Quebec on the 17th century.

Genealogy websites have taken the front seat on the internet today – not just as a hobby of doing surname search or creating genealogy charts, but as a meaningful pursuit of meaning (or excuse?) within the family ancestry.

Free genealogy sites make the study of family history easier for everyone today than what it was a decade ago. It includes the discovery of your family’s legacy, your ancestors and who made up your immediate family tree. The motive is not superficial as in knowing if Madonna is in your bloodline, or if you could be another distant relative of Barack Obama, but in establishing your connection to your roots. It is something personal; as part of who you are today, is your past.

This is the enchantment people find in the study of genealogy with the aid of various genealogy websites. More and more people have grown interest in uncovering how their forefathers had lived; their accomplishments, as well as their defeats. Most people believe that it is only through understanding where they came from they would acquire the clearer vantage point of where they could be heading to. If the past makes up a percentage of who they are, they believe it is important to understand how far and to what extent their legacy family tree, family roots and history can still influence their decisions today.

While growing up, how many times have you heard comments that you laugh like your Grandpa Joe, or you are as good as your Aunt Jackie in Math? If your clan is a jigsaw puzzle and your ancestors the bits and pieces that make it up, would it not help you to understand how one piece connects to another?

Availing the services of free genealogy websites in conducting your genealogy search and setting up your genealogy chart can help you in ways you could not fully imagine.

And as a piece yourself of that giant puzzle, understanding how you belong and who you connect to will give you the assurance that you are not an accident in the scheme of things, but an important piece; as important as all the other pieces that complete the giant puzzle.

Understanding your family history through a genealogy search will give you insights as to your family’s traits, strengths and weaknesses, common choices that shaped them and the mistakes that could have been avoided.

Recent medical findings also revealed a genetic connection among family members that explains their predisposition to certain ailments. This is one reason why the study of your family roots is important.

You would not only possess a journal of dates and facts, but a lamp post that can steer you away from the danger zones where your forefathers once treaded and lost. As Henry Ward Beecher once said, “What we call wisdom is the result of all the wisdom of past ages. Our best institutions are like young trees growing upon the roots of the old trunks that have crumbled away.”

Mary Ann Eble shares with you creative ways on how you can connect with your past and preserve your family’s heritage stories with her FREE e-book entitled “12 Gifts”.

Mary has a Master’s Degree in Social Work–while in school, she developed a strong interest in understanding family ancestry history and relationships and dynamics. She believes that by exploring family stories from the past, we will come to understand ourselves and create a stronger future for the next generation.

Many people have asked themselves where they come from, where are their roots, and these questions reflect a yearning that all of us have. Genealogy is the science of tracing your family tree. It is a kind of detective work or paper chase game. The results are often unpredictable but always fascinating.

Family history research has recently gained a powerful tool in the internet. Now that it is possible to do a keyword or name search almost instantly, it has become much easier to trace a family tree. Easier at least than in days gone by, when a researcher had to spend a lot of time trudging around a dusty archive library, or waiting several weeks for a reply from one records office or another.

Even with the internet though, there are some parts of one’s family tree which will be impossible to reconstruct due to certain historical circumstances. One example that comes to mind is the fire that destroyed the Irish records office in Dublin in the nineteenth century.

So you have decided to try to trace your family tree. The question is, where do you start?

Probably the best starting point is to talk to members of your own family, particularly elders, and try to get them to remember as much as they can about the past, and about their relatives and forebears. This can be very useful in providing some jumping off points for further investigations. The facts they are able to give may well help you to refine and focus your search right from the start, thereby saving a lot of potentially wasted time and effort.

Talking to people about the past is something that should be done in a sensitive way, as it can often awaken memories which people would rather forget.

Next you should decide what aspect of your family history you are going to investigate. Are you interested in finding out about everything you can about everyone related to you? Or do you prefer a more narrow focus, such as tracing one particular branch? Or perhaps you will keep an open mind at first until you find something in your family tree that provokes your interest.

Some people even trace their spouse’s family. A friend of mine who is divorced nevertheless is tracing her husband’s ancestors on behalf of her children, since her ex-husband is descended from an old aristocratic family who were very powerful and influential in medieval England.

There are many different reasons for wanting to research family history, each one of them is interesting to the individual researcher, and all of them have been greatly facilitated by the arrival of the internet.

DNA Markers for Genealogy – Mitochondrial DNA Genealogy

Who else wants to know about DNA markers for genealogy? Here is a simple scientific test to trace your ancestors. Did you know that DNA From One Generation To The Other Is Almost Conclusive Evidence. This breakthrough in genealogy research has been making headlines for the past several years with some astounding proof of kinship between some very prominent historical figures.

DNA testing for family tree is not only convenient, but also simple. You find a genealogy testing company either in the phone book of on the Internet. Next, make an appointment and go to the company on your assigned day, fill out the forms, pay the fee and your good to go. The DNA genealogy test starts with a mouth swab of your mouth near the cheek. Many companies give you a kit so you can do the mouth swab at home and mail in the results to the laboratory. After the laboratory tests the DNA, the results are sent back to testee.

Wide DNA Databases Compare

The company doing the genealogy DNA testing will obviously need to have access to DNA databases which they will use to make comparisons and once these comparisons show their results, the company will then send you the results regarding whom your DNA swab matched with. You should realize that each and every cell is sure to have your DNA and whether it is your sperm or egg cells or even the sex cells, you will be providing your own unique DNA for further matching.

Parents Pinpointed

Listen closely. Genealogy DNA testing is helpful in pinpointing an individual’s parentage and it can be used extensively when you need to know who the mother is, and also in case of adoptions. Thus, it is easy to see how genealogy DNA testing can help with creating your family tree because your DNA will have been passed from one generation to the next and the information pertaining to your ancestors will be encoded therein.

The Egg The Sperm

When your sperm and also egg cell combine together, a new cell is created that will hold DNA from either parent and when genealogy DNA testing is performed in specialist laboratories, they will help provide evidence whether you are related to another person with a matching DNA. What’s more, the chances of two persons having identical DNA are very small with the exception of identical twins which are due to the fact that their DNA is identical because the fertilized egg had split and formed two fetuses obtained from a single sperm and also from the same egg.

Cutting Edge Medical Science Genealogy DNA Testing

Just imagine, as DNA is passed from generation to generation there is very little change in its structure. This is amazing and is the primary reason to use DNA markers for genealogy testing to explore your ancestry. In no time at all, the link between families can be nailed down and makes the construction of a family tree that much more reliable and accurate. And new advances are being made in medical science to enhance and improve the DNA testing for family tree.

Dr Geoff Swinfield will be lecturing on DNA and family history as part of the "Ask the Experts" workshops run by the Society of Genealogists at the forthcoming Family History Conference in Nottingham. He has a Ph.D. in genetics and has used this training to apply genealogical research to the study of families at risk from genetic diseases.

At In the footsteps BATTLEFIELD TOURS we occasionally receive enquiries about how to trace the records of British soldiers who served in the 1914-18 Great War. We do our best to help when such a request is made, but our resources are limited and we are conscious that our best is often very slow and not always that conclusive. To help those wishing to research records of British Soldiers who served in the 1914-18 Great War we thought that it would be useful if we put together some notes on the basics of how to research this information.

During the Great War of 1914-1918 Britain’s Regular Army was tiny by European standards and was quickly supplemented initially by Reservists and the Territorials. Kitchener’s Army of volunteers were rapidly trained and sent to the front and by 1916 it was necessary to introduce Conscription to make up numbers.

The casualty lists continued to grow at an alarming rate largely because of the very nature of trench warfare. The modern military innovations and communications that we know today simply did not exist and the 1914-18 Great War had developed into one of attrition. As a consequence, the British Army sustained massive fatal casualties averaging around 450 officers and men per day.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC)

The first place to begin your search is the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). They have the most complete record of soldiers (and others) that died in the 1914-18 Great War. This record is available on-line in their ‘Debt of Honour Register’ at http://www.cwgc.org/.

The information contained in the Debt of Honour Register includes the location of the soldier’s grave (or his commemoration, if he has no known grave). It will usually give details of his service number, rank, unit, date of death (if known) and place of burial or commemoration. Other information may be available, but this is dependent on material supplied (or not supplied) by relatives during and after the war. It should also be noted that whilst the CWGC make every effort the Register is not entirely free of errors.

The 1921 Compilation – Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19

An excellent resource for locating those who died in the war is Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19. Originally published in 1921 the compilations consist of 80 volumes for the soldiers with a separate volume for officers. Each volume deals with individual Regiment or Corps, and lists those who died, giving dates, locations, army number. It is not 100% accurate, but an excellent record that was based on regimental records.

These volumes give information that the CWGC does not for example, place of birth, place of residence, place of enlistment and any former regiment being the most common.

A full set of the Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19 is available for the general public to reference in the Birmingham Central Library. Other Central and/or Reference Libraries may also hold copies, but check before going as they often only have the volume relating to the local regiment.

This work can also be obtained from the Imperial War Museum as a searchable CD-ROM and is also available from: http://www.naval-military-press.com/. The CD-ROM has the advantage that the casualties can be searched and sorted, which is a great benefit if you are researching a unit or what happened to a group of friends. Inevitably it does contain some transcription errors – but then again the originals have errors too. Overall, this is an excellent though very expensive resource. Many branches of the Western Front Association have a copy, as do some libraries – including the one at the National Archives.

Genealogy Websites

Military-Genealogy.com the Naval & Military Press’ website for military historians and family history researchers has computerised these records, along with similar records relating to the Second World War, and offer a pay-per-view service to search them. These works are also available as a searchable CD-ROM, published by the Naval & Military Press. For further details visit: http://www.naval-military-press.com/.

Another pay-per-view service is provided by findmypast.com that has made it possible to search for soldiers who died in the 1914-18 Great War on-line. It is also possible to access the registers of war deaths via their website http://www.findmypast.com/HomeServlet. In addition to their pay-per-view service they operate a voucher system whereby vouchers can be purchased from UK stockists or mail order, see their website for details.

Rolls of Honour

Many businesses, organisations, schools and towns created Rolls of Honour after the war. Many of these are now available on-line and can be accessed by searching Google then clicking on the appropriate search result.

In addition to these dedicated Rolls of Honour sites is a particularly good website http://www.roll-of-honour.com/ that is striving to list details of the various War Memorials in the UK. This also has a useful search facility that will interrogate the records they have in their databases.

Soldiers Personal Files

All British soldiers who served in the 1914-18 Great War had a personal file. Around half of these personal files were destroyed in the first German air-raid on London in the Second World War on the night of 7th/8th September 1940. The records that survived the Second World War were released to the UK National Archives: The Public Record Office at Kew in November 1996. Their website can be found at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/. The original documents are now so fragile that only microfilm is available for inspection and whether an individual soldier’s file has survived is entirely random.

Officers’ files had a higher survival rate and about 216,000 were released to the National Archives in February 1998. The criteria for release were that the officer had served in the British Army between 1914 and 1920 and that he had left the Army before 31st March 1922. It is often possible to locate an officer’s file on line, by typing the surname into the National Archives Catalogue accompanied by a record class number. Officers’ files are mostly contained in record series WO 339 or WO 374 (especially Territorial Officers).

The Medal Index and Medal Rolls

Besides a soldier’s (or officer’s) personal file the other major source of information is the Medal Card Index, also in the National Archives. This is the most complete listing of British service personnel in the First World War. The National Archives has now completed the digitizing of the Medal Index. The on-line version is available at http://www.documentson-line.nationalarchives.gov.uk/default.asp

Most soldiers who served with the British Army in the 1914-18 Great War qualified for campaign medals, normally the 1914 (or 1914-15) Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. The Army Medals Office recorded soldiers’ medal entitlement in lists known as rolls. The Index Card available on line provides the reference to where the soldier is listed on the Rolls, which are organised by regiment or corps. The information found on the Medal Card will include the soldier’s name, rank and serial number, his regiment or corps, sometimes his unit (e.g. battalion or Field Company RE), his date of death (if he died during the war), the campaign medals he was awarded and the reference numbers that allow the soldier to be traced on the Medal Rolls, which are not available on line.

It is important to check the actual Medal Rolls because they can give extra vital information about a soldier, such as his battalion, that allows further research to be undertaken. This is particularly true of soldiers who served in the cavalry, yeomanry and infantry, but much less so for the larger corps, such as the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and Army Service Corps.

Unit War Diaries

Once a soldier’s unit has been identified it is possible to find out more about it. All units from battalion level (and the battalion’s equivalent in other corps, such as a Field Artillery Brigade) upwards were required to keep War Diaries on active service. These diaries are preserved in the National Archives: The Public Record Office, Kew, in record series WO 95. War Diaries rarely mention ordinary soldiers, but they do provide a detailed account of the unit’s movements and activities.

Regimental Histories

Nearly all infantry regiments and battalions have published histories. These can usually be purchased through that Regiment’s PRI or through most reputable bookshops. On-line bookshops such as Amazon will also have these available.

We hope that the information contained within this article has been of assistance and will help you trace the records of the soldier you are interested in. If you feel that we can be of assistance please email us at inthefootsteps@btinternet.com and we will try to help. Please bear in mind however our opening paragraph, as our resources are limited and we are conscious that our best is often very slow and not always conclusive.

Ian R Gumm

at Willowmead

20th January 2007

In the footsteps BATTLEFIELD TOURS SERVICE

If you are interested in following “in the footsteps” of an ancestor, relative or particular unit we can put together a bespoke battlefield tour proposal for your consideration. The proposal is without obligation as we do not undertake any preparatory work until an order is received.

We also offer a range of commemorative certificates that can be purchased from our website. These decorative certificates are designed to commemorate the military service of service personnel in a readily displayable format, they are not meant to be facsimiles of official documents.

Professor Richard Holmes, celebrated miltary historian will be a guest speaker at the frthcoming conference on family, local, miltary and social history in Nottingham. For details of the conference see the conference website

The family has always been considered as the strongest force in the society. Known as the most fundamental civilization in the world, it defines the rise and fall of every community and group. In whatever culture, the family has always played a major role in unifying the people of its race. Even in today’s modern era when the limits of socialization are starting to get shattered and the boundaries of communication are slowly disappearing, the family remains basic in every human life. Nobody is so independent and free as to be able to exist without a family.

Today’s world is one which is highly characterized by individualism and eccentricity. Many people are concerned with moving on into the future and the majority is actually living for tomorrow. You may think it just usual for today’s generation to bother less about their origin, about who they really are, where they come from, and issues concerning the past. Ironically, however, there is a growing interest about the search for people’s ancestors. Family history genealogy is gaining more and more attention from those who are after their past life and relatives.

Genealogy can be considered as the science of relationships, simply because this field deals with the tracing of a particular person’s family and relatives, both in the past and in the present, alive or dead. People venture out in the search for their families because of various reasons. Some may want to find a kin who has been lost due to circumstances beyond their control. Concrete examples were those involved in the World War who were forced to leave their homes for safety and spent the rest of their life wandering in foreign lands. Others, on the other hand, engage in this endeavor because of the desire for material possessions and power. Believing that they may be perhaps connected to someone of great influence, they risk the chance for the hope of something good in return.

Genealogy and the search for one’s history may vary in depth. This can be as simple as tracing the names of people related to you, forming a family tree, and indicating to which specific family in your clan a particular person belongs. Or, this can also be as deep as researching and finding out the personal life of each family member that you are able to find.

Modern technology has made family history genealogy more interesting and has opened a wider door for those people who are serious about their family search. The science of heredity and the study about DNA have made it even more possible for two persons to determine if they belong to the same line of ancestry. Various online sites are also available now to aid people find practically anybody with just the entry of simple facts. There are even computer programs which have been specifically designed for this purpose.

Starting your family history is easy, and this can be done using different means. The experience is like a treasure hunt that will lead you to unknown and exciting places, and you will never know what you will discover and what treasures await you at the end of your adventure.

When people speak of genealogy they refer to the history of their family. Genealogy is basically the search for the forgotten truth about their ancestors.

According to the origin of the word, the term genealogy is derived from the Greek word genea, which refers to generation or descent.

Hence, it is vital for a genealogist to familiarize himself from the genealogical words of a certain language.

The reason here is simple. If you are conducting your search on genealogy and you have to conduct the research into a place which language seems strange to you, you would probably find yourself helpless to do the necessary moves to complete your search.

Your search will be definitely be suspended if you will not be able to comprehend the documents in your hands. And it is certainly a big mistake to waste the documents or worse misinterpret them.

Therefore, it is vital to know the usual genealogy terms of certain language.

The Italian language is one of the romantic languages in Europe that originated from Latin. This language is likewise used in some places of Yugoslavia as well as Switzerland.

If ever you are about to track a genealogy document inscribed in Italian language, the one thing that you need to know are the basics of Italian language. These basics will serve as your keywords.

Believe it or not, though you neither can read nor speak the Italian language, you can possibly understand the Italian documents on genealogy with the use of these keywords.

These keywords are simply the Italian root words. Through this you will not exert too much effort anymore in comprehending and utilizing the genealogical documents written in Italian language.

So what are these genealogy terms? These include the record types, dates, family relationships, and family events.

Meanwhile the following will be the basics of Italian language:

As what have been mentioned, the first thing to know about the language is the root words because these will unveil the denotation of the word.

Take note that the Italian words consist of masculine and feminine categories. This is identified on the ending of the word. The ending of the word may also indicate singular or plural. Likewise, will help you distinguish whether it is in past, present or future tense.

The nouns in Italian have gender, both in persons and things. Usually, nouns that ends with -a refer to female, while the nouns that ends in –o are male. Example of feminine word is chiesa (church), and cimiterio (cemetery) in masculine.

Meanwhile, nouns that end in –e may pertain to both masculine and feminine. Like for instance padre, father, and madre, mother.

On the other hand, in distinguishing the plural from singular you just have to notice the last vowel of the word. Plural nouns are formed by changing the nouns that end with –o or –e to –i. While the nouns that end with –a is altered with an –e to form a plural term.

To look for the list of words concerning the Italian genealogical term, you can just simply browse the Internet.

Invisible relatives may pertain to those people who are difficult to find or are hidden relatives perhaps. A relative can be considered missing if he or she does not appear even in one of the volume of records containing your family’s history. Detailed information of your invisible relative can be hard to uncover. You don’t probably suspect that he or she exists before you begin your research.

You need to know some of the reasons why such things happen.

– Women are most often categorized as invisible relatives. Keep in mind that women didn’t have legal identities of their own in many countries. They are not regularly mentioned in community records. In Ireland, property was rarely registered in the name of a woman from 18th to 19th century. When registration of civil marriages took place in 1865, only the father’s name of both couples is listed.

– If family members disapprove a relationship, thinking that it can bring disgrace to their family, they hide it consciously. For example, a widow who wanted to marry again but her children are all grown up.

– It runs in the tradition of the Irish, they always want to portray the best face and feet forward. They omit sad memories from the tales about their family. Thus, infants and young children who are already dead were never mentioned again.

– Some common records used in Irish genealogy research are incomplete. The contents have entirely missed important things about the person. Maybe, they failed to anticipate that the latest generation would likely want to know about their origins. Some census in the U.S has this problem. Former spouses were never mentioned on the record as well as the date of immigration until 1900.

So, some Irish who are just starting to find their genealogy can face a lot of challenges. It is advisable not to rely much on what they find on the written records. However, any piece of information is important to help you in your research. No matter how small the information is, you can unravel many things once you dig deeper.

Never assume that the norms in the 20th and 21st century made sense 50, 100, or 100 years ago. Try to learn and understand that norms vary according to time and place. Considering all the records (both Irish and American) are helpful in solving the jigsaw puzzles of your life, in case your family already migrated in the U.S. This process is also similar in other countries.

There are factors that you should concentrate on when finding an invisible Irish relative. Checking the census can be effective in finding the persons who are related to the one you are looking for. Another is to learn some significant traditions associated with the place. For example, in Ireland, the naming tradition is very popular. Irish men name their oldest son after their grandfather. If the person is already married, then search for the marriage record. Take note, during the 1860, divorce is not favored in Ireland. So, better check for death records also in case the name changed.

Finally, be patient as your research progresses. After all, it is worthwhile to embrace your origin again and find the missing part of your life.

Many people are eager to find out their ancestors as well as where they come from. Thus, learning the history of your family becomes a popular objective. It can start from a hobby during weekends to everyday pastime and even to a regular job. In fact, a very attractive alternative for a day job or incomplete research is to rely on a genealogy research done by professionals. The advantages that it provides can be a gift for you.

1. Speed. Using trained and certified genealogists in conducting research can allow you to take the advantages of their previous experiences and expertise. Certified genealogists already know what they are going to do thus their research are efficient. Let their efficiency and speed work for you.

2. Training. Trained genealogists always have systematic plans. Their tasks are listed from the very beginning of the research until the end. They get the most relevant and the best information rather than sifting over countless census, probates, and other records. Their experience combined with a thorough training is effective for knowing what to find, where to find, and how to find. Researching your family history requires knowledge of various resources, from books to microfilms to computerized records, from correspondence indices to probates to censuses.

3. Geographical access. Even though the internet has become a good source for plenty of records, some information are not yet entered in the computer. To obtain these records, you need to send money and letters to archive offices located in far places. When you choose a professional research service, make sure that the location is closer to a huge resource such as the Family History Library, or the National Archives, each stores millions of important documents as does the Society of Genealogists in England.

4. Accuracy. Many years of genealogy practice exposes you to a lot of conflicting information. For example you have learned from your mother that the birthday of your great grandmother is in June however the official record reveals that it is February. There also instances that the documents disagree. You should be able to determine the right source. Say, John Smith is your great grandfather and he passed away in 1995. So, how would you be able to find the true John Smith?

Trained researchers already know everything on how to analyze conflicting sources as well as identify the individuals accurately. Based on their experience and training, they are able to judge the date that appears to be more accurate. Likewise, they can determine your ancestor with the name of John Smith.

Assessment of source material takes several years of experience in the field of genealogy. Professional genealogists can ensure that their works have accuracy.

5. Qualified access. Most resources are very sensitive. Some have even restricted access. Many archives have strict rules regarding the use of their resources. It can include the person who wants to access particular information, the procedure of accessing the materials, the researcher’s return incentives, and others. Certified genealogists are familiarized with these restrictions already. They have the expertise in researching in such environments and handling documents. Moreover, only professional genealogists are permitted to do the research in archives with only limited access.

Learning your ancestry is fun as well as a unique gift. Remember, to avoid any hassles, ask for the help of professionals.

At the forthcoming International Genealogical Conference there will be many professional researchers in attendance both as lecturers and conference delegates as well as from the Society of Genealogists. This family history conference will be a great one off lifetime opportunity to meet members ofAGRA and the FFHS face to face

The study to trace family lineage is termed as genealogy. It entails for you to collect the names of your living and departed relatives. Additionally, you are to establish the relationship among every member on primary, secondary or incidental facts. An individual studying genealogy is referred to as a genealogist.

A genealogist who wishes to seek familial information must have an understanding of genealogical facts. The facts you need to be familiar with and study are the following:

Family Name

The family name (surname or last name) serves as an important tool in genealogic research. For some genealogists, it serves as the stepping stone to start the search.

Commonly, a family name originated from the name of the father itself, the location of your ancestors, the employment of the individual, and/or the nickname of the individual itself is needed.

To locate your ancestors’ family name, you may want to look at documents of birth, marriage and death certificates. Census returns and trade directories are also helpful.

Location

Locating the place of your ancestors is an essential part in finding out your lineage. To locate the place names, you need to search into vital, land, court, probate and estate records.

Sometimes the place’s name is puzzling due to the order of location being cited. Hence, if you are starting with your own family tree, it is important to follow the standard place name writing protocol. You need to record names of places from the smallest to the largest location. For example, the town should come first before the county. After listing the county, the state will follow and country is the location last entry.

Given Name

Long-ago, the given name is not duly important in genealogy study. However, given names or first names are now considered as an essential tool in a genealogy study and search.

Given names are said to be a representation of deliberate choice of parents. Some of the common naming patterns are:

? First name of a son obtained from the paternal grandfather’s name ? First name of a daughter obtained from the maternal grandmother’s name

Date

Dates in genealogical search vary. It may pertain to the birth, baptism, marriage or the death date of either your living and deceased relatives.

The above-mentioned dates can be found in the following records: vital, church, bible, military, and census. Newspapers are also a tool for you to be able to find dates. Other helpful tools are Social Security Death and International Genealogical Indexes.

Employment

The type of job your ancestors have is a good tool to help you in your family lineage quest. Aside from knowing what your ancestors did for a living, the kind of occupation of your ancestors will also help you to distinguish between two similar surnames. You can find the type of employment in the birth, marriage or death certificates of your ancestor. Other sources are the city directories, obituary records, and the Social Security Administration.

Family name, location, given name, date and employment are five key factors that will serve as a great help for you as you trace you family lineage. It is important however, that as you find out facts regarding the five factors to take into account its reliability.

Names of course are in fact a study in their own right and many people study the history of an individual surname. These people are known as one-namers and usually members of the Guild of One-Name Studies (GOONS). The Halsted Trust who are organising the forthcoming International Genealogy Conference later in 2009 are an organisation instigated in order to further the surname Halsted and all its variants.

There will be lectures on one-name studies as part of this conference and many eminent one-namers will be in attendance including Derek Palgrave, the president of GOONS and a trsutee of the Halsted Trust